“Hiss of the Serpent” / Memorable Fancies #2630

An excerpt from the book Social Abominations, or The Follies of Modern Society Portrayed by Many Eminent Writers. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1895:

“Some people whisper because they are hoarse from a cold, or because they wish to convey some useful information without disturbing others; but [others] give muffled utterance from sinister and depraved motive, and sometimes you can only hear the sibilant sound as the letter “S” drops from the tongue into the listening ear, the brief hiss of the serpent as it projects its venom.”